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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27269920">it's the touch that melts you down.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/forever_nerd/pseuds/forever_nerd'>forever_nerd</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lucifer (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling, Domestic Fluff, Dressing the Devil, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fools in Love, Post Season 5, Protective Chloe Decker, Smitten Devil, Soft Chloe Decker, Soft Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Touch-Starved, Touching, Wing Grooming, Wingies, getting naughty at the precinct, taking care of the Devil</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:47:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,840</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27269920</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/forever_nerd/pseuds/forever_nerd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Chloe Decker loves her Devil and she tries to show him just how much every day. <br/>A very soft fic centered around touch.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>378</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>it's the touch that melts you down.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A big thank you to @bdevereaux who helped me shape this up!</p>
<p>Season 5 left me feeling soooooo soft for these two.</p>
<p>I hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Touch comes before sight, before speech. It is the first language and the last, and it always tells the truth.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Margaret Atwood</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After the world literally stopping and jumpstarting again-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>after serving God a slightly overcooked chicken thigh and a long coming slap-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>and after having another major reveal dropped on her by her </span><em><span>much</span></em><span> beloved</span> <span>Michael-</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(one that threatened to tear her new found relationship apart)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chloe </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span> feels like she can relax. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>I mean, how many other shoes can be dropped?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Never before have a few days felt more like a lifetime.She's had enough celestial bombs to last through many, </span>
  <em>
    <span>many</span>
  </em>
  <span> lives.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So now, more than ever before, she is determined to make up for lost time. They barely had any time together before the disasters started like little celestial dominoes, collapsing onto each other, almost making her entire world topple over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And if she feels like she's missed him, she cannot imagine how Lucifer might be feeling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I spent thousands of years in Hell imagining our reunion,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>she often hears him whisper in her mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s a notion she can’t quite grasp.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She struggles with the idea, the span of time unable to fit into her very human brain. But even if she fails to understand it, she cannot deny its very tangible effect. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s always there when she looks at him, nestled into the warm darkness of his eyes- a despair, a longing that wasn't there before.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes it's like the bright ring of fire around the Sun, others like the pale glow surrounding the moon; his desire is always incredibly beautiful and impossible to conceal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It makes her bubble up with happiness, with a giddiness that is very</span>
  <em>
    <span> un</span>
  </em>
  <span>-Chloe like. Having her love finally openly reciprocated is literally a dream come true, but at the same time seeing him like this breaks her heart.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Because his desire hides a hunger, a deep ache, the likes of which she has never before known.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lucifer is starving. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For attention.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For affection. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For </span>
  <em>
    <span>touch</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And she is more than determined to ply him with enough love and affection to fill up every crack, crevice and chasm of loneliness his (quite frankly inconceivably long) stitch in Hell  has carved in him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And it's so easy. The need to express her love physically has been suppressed in her for so long that being openly affectionate to him brings her, beyond incomparable pleasure, immense relief.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So she tries to show him every day that they spend together just how grateful she is. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How </span>
  <em>
    <span>absolutely</span>
  </em>
  <span> ecstatic to finally be able to love him with no reservations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Dressing him up</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of her greatest pleasures is helping him dress. Perhaps it’s slightly silly since he’s a grown man, but there’s a tenderness in the act-in taking care of him even in this mundane way- that makes her incredibly happy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whether it's holding up his jacket for him to push his arms through or straightening the lines of his vest and buttoning it up- she never misses the chance to get her hands on him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And she always, </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span>, smooths out the lines of his jacket or pants-especially the pants.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>So</span>
  </em>
  <span> many creases at the back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>                           ------------                                  </span> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They are brushing their teeth side by side in his ridiculously large bathroom, eyes locked in the mirror. He doesn't even let her rinse her mouth before he has her perched on the vanity, her legs locked around his waist, their kisses tasting of mint.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe the old Chloe would have complained about running a bit late but after everything that's happened, being a little late is far more  preferable to missing out any time with him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So, she pulls him closer and shows him just how much she wants him on this fine, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine </span>
  </em>
  <span>morning.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It's hot and full of dirty words and they reach their crescendos fast, but despite its short duration it is (like any of their symphonies) a masterpiece.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Later, when they're getting dressed in his walk-in closet, she stares dreamily at him through one of his many mirrors. He preens under her lovesick gaze, a smile always on his lips. When he pulls his shirt on she walks to him and does  the buttons one by one, fingers grazing gently his skin as she slips them through the eyelets, while he watches, slightly dazed, with a tenderness that's new and blossoming between them. She holds out his waistcoat, the one with the purple lining (her favourite), and buttons that up too.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She even picks out his cufflinks and fastens them on his shirt, kissing the inside of his wrists when done with each.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll leave the pocket square to you," she says playfully against his lips and before she can step away he pulls her in for a heart melting, candy-sweet kiss, his hands gliding over her clothes, as if looking for purchase to burrow under her skin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There's an urgency, a longing behind the firm press of his fingers; a desperate need to get closer to her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As if anything he does will just never be enough.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She knows the feeling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Throughout the day he sends her filthy looks, full of promises, his eyes cutting to the direction of the restrooms, and every time she blushes and glares, her eyes turning away  before they return to his, equally naughty and smiling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His answering smile is blinding-every single time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So, I'm going for a </span>
  <em>
    <span>loooong</span>
  </em>
  <span> lunch. Nobody in my lab if you're catching my drift," Ella tells Lucifer with an exaggerated eye wink. Chloe rolls her eyes at the two of them, almost used by now to their TMI banter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In the end she doesn't have sex in the lab, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> almost breaks Ella's very expensive microscope.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's your fault," he says, still panting. "You are criminally good at this," he continues, his voice slightly surprised and almost accusatory. "My straight laced Detective, fellatrix extraordinair!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you complaining?" she teases while pulling up his zipper and giving him another good squeeze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dad, no," he exclaims, teeth digging into his bottom lip, while his hands pull her closer by her blazer. He kisses her, hands cradling her face tenderly, softly, as if he's holding something elusive, ethereal, precious; all his strength reduced for this gentlest of touches. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For her. Only for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Teaching him the joys of cuddling</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucifer is so incredibly soft with her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He is much more than what she expected. Chloe didn't really have much to go with when fantasizing about him. He had only ever been once in a relationship, with Eve, and it's not like she got to meet all the others (well she did- at least 92 of them.)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There had also been Candy, but Chloe has come to understand why and how that had come to be. And she is fine with it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mostly</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anyway, the point is she really had no idea what to expect of Lucifer in a relationship.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Fun, cheeky and sexy was the unholy trinity she was certain of.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But she is wonderfully surprised by all the little ways that Lucifer is different with </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yes, he is funny and playful and cheeky, too sexy for his own good if you ask her, but he's also sweet and soft and so tactilely affectionate.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>These she did not expect.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She feels unbelievably blessed -no, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>blessed</span>
  </em>
  <span>- that word has become too literal for her tastes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lucky, she feels unbelievably lucky.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>                                                        ------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It's not like they've not done the Disney routine before. They have. Plenty of times. But now it's different. Now there's a desperate eagerness to receive and offer touch, an overwhelming desire to express his affections.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They cuddle on the sofa, Chloe between her two most favourite people in the world and Coco on the screen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He's the same as always-a torrent of exuberant commentary over what they got wrong and right and '</span>
  <em>
    <span>trust me urchin Heaven would be a lot more fun if everyone had their own guide!' </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>'I shall refrain from commenting on the skeleton look'</span>
  </em>
  <span> , with a very important addition.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now, his arm is curled around her, fingers slipping under her shirt to feel her skin or occasionally teasing Trixie and his lips (when not busy talking) leave feather light kisses on any available patch of skin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When the film is done, they hang out some more, Lucifer enjoying his whiskey while asking Trixie about school and more specifically about her joining the school theater group. He's got some strong feelings about Shakespeare apparently. She sips from his whiskey and watches him happily as he drones on and </span>
  <em>
    <span>on</span>
  </em>
  <span> about </span>
  <em>
    <span>Will</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I taught him a great many things back in the day," he concludes and Chloe almost chokes on his whiskey, the amber liquid spurting spectacularly out of her nostrils.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Shit," she curses, her nose on fire.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mo9m!" Trixie says through a fit of giggles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you alright darling?" he asks with a barely suppressed smile, dabbing at her face. "Such a dirty, dirty mind dear,” he whispers to her. “I meant his iambic pentameter!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She narrows her eyes at him in the universal sign for </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah, right</span>
  </em>
  <span> before she starts laughing herself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A sudden feeling of warmth floods her upon realizing that she gets to have these moments now. Silly, carefree teasing, naughty smiles and happiness.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She gets to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy</span>
  </em>
  <span> with him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When she looks at him again, she can see the same wonder shining under his mirth.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He is hers to make happy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She grabs fistfuls of his shirt and pulls him to her, crashing her lips to his while Trixie cheers and whistles in the background. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before letting go, she bites him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ow! You little delinquent! I can't believe you bit me!" he says, face torn between offence and horniness.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You bit him? Way to go Mom!" Trixie exclaims giving her an overexcited high five.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That's what you get when your babysitter is a demon.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A bit later Trixie goes to bed with a cheeky, "Please try to be quiet. No traumatizing vocals if you can!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Trixie!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?! I even said </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Bed. Now. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Chloe enunciates each word and Trixie rolls her eyes as she says her goodnights.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, detective, you can boss me around like this any time!" he whispers once Trixie's door shuts.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, shush you. Up you go Satan. It's time for bed."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, Ma'am!" he salutes with an overenthusiastic wink and she pinches his ass as she follows him up the stairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he comes to bed, clad in those low hanging satiny pants, Chloe can't help but stare admiringly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Like what you see, darling?" he asks with a cocky smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She lets out a deep sigh, a small breathy</span>
  <em>
    <span> oof</span>
  </em>
  <span> leaving her lips as she curls her fingers, beckoning him to her. He crawls on the bed, looking all hot and dangerous and stops right above her, his limbs caging her under him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her fingers glide over the ridges of his skin, feeling the muscles contract under her touch, while he stares, like a predator, waiting for the right moment to pounce.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't just like what I see. I</span>
  <em>
    <span> love</span>
  </em>
  <span> what I see."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes soften at once, an indication of how unused he is to this sort of intimacy. She pulls him to her, molding her lips to his, pouring into the kiss every </span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you</span>
  </em>
  <span> he's missed in his time away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He melts onto her slowly, his body warm as it covers hers and so very </span>
  <em>
    <span>long.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Their legs tangle as they kiss and he flips them, pulling her on top of him. Her hands push into his hair, fingers scratching and rubbing at his scalp and he purrs into her mouth like the big cat that he is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She pulls away reluctantly, because as much as she enjoys his kisses, sometimes she simply cannot get enough of his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her hands migrate there, her fingers smoothing out the lines on his brow. He sighs happily and she carries on, tracing the lines of his eyebrows, the bridge of his aquiline nose and finally, her favourite, following the line of his Cupid's bow, those perfectly carved lips, full and begging to be kissed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He kisses her palm, one of his hands holding the back of her neck, fingers pushing into her hair, and the other splayed on the small of her back, the tips of his fingers like a hot brand on her skin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They kiss again and again and she finds it impossible to remove her hands from his skin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She's trailing a line of kisses from the edge of his jaw to his lips when he starts talking. His voice is hushed, too quiet for him, as if reluctant to give shape and substance to these thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sometimes I'm afraid I'll wake up one morning only to realize that it was all a dream." He pulls her even closer, their lips almost touching as he speaks. "That I'll wake up,  still stuck in Hell, desolate and forsaken. Away from light, from you... forever. So, every time your lips utter those three words my heart stops beating out of sheer amazement." Only when his fingers swipe softly at her skin does she realize she's crying. "I do not want to be without you. Not while you'll still have me. It's a wonder- the fact that you continue to care for me even after all that has come your way."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh Lucifer," she half sobs, arms wrapping around his neck as she hides her face in the crook of his neck. "Lonely? Yes. But forsaken? Never. You have so many people that care about you, that love you. You are no longer only </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lucifer Morningstar, night club owner.</span>
  </em>
  <span> You are a very good friend to many, a dear brother, a beloved uncle and the partner of one very lucky detective. No one forgot about you. Everyone kept asking about you-so much that I used to hide out in the toilets, barely holding back tears, trying to pretend that I wasn't missing you like hell. Was it...?" she trails off, her mind returning to that awful thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I spent thousands of years imagining our reunion.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His hand rubs soothing circles on her back, recognizing her distress.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You can ask me anything you want Chloe."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Was it really so long for you? Thousands of years?" she asks in a small voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm afraid so, darling."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She nods to herself jerkily, jaw locked in a vain effort to stave off her tears. His hand finds hers as it rests on his shoulder, unclenching her fingers and linking them with his own. He pulls it to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's... unfathomably long," she manages to whisper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's probably true... for you. But Chloe, it was hardly the first time for me. I've been doing this back and forth since before the beginning of your history. If I am to be honest though, it was by far the hardest and definitely felt like the longest-even if it wasn't- because of </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm so sorry Lucifer," she breathes and blinks back her tears.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, darling, no. That sounded... wrong. You see, I was always eager to return to earthly delights but this time, knowing that the lapsing time was time lost from your presence, from your life... There were moments when the thought was unbearable. When I could barely keep my wings folded away to prevent myself from coming back to you. In a way, I am very, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> happy that my dickhead of a brother decided to show up."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That's something else she hasn't had the nerve to ask him. Mostly because she's terrified of the answer. No time like now she supposes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Were you not planning on coming back?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His hands tighten on her skin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No," he admits, the single syllable steeped in pain. "Not as long as I thought it wasn't safe. I didn't want to take any chances. Not with you. I could never live with myself if something happened to any of you because of me. But I </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to. No language, no words could ever hope to express the depth, the intensity of that desire.” He kisses her forehead. “For thousands of years, it was the only thing I craved for."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm glad he showed up then," she whispers on his skin. "It almost makes me like him. Oh! Is he the reason why you were so upset when I called you cheap in that case? With Ella's brother?" She remembers Michael’s horrified expression at that spilled coffee. The thought brings a satisfied smile to her face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, in a way. There was no currency in heaven. But the bastard was stringy even with his laughter. Unless he was laughing at someone else's expense."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So you were always this different?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"In some things yes. But we used to be close once upon a time. Brothers in every way."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You miss him, don't you? The devil is a soft bean deep down, isn't he?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>A what</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” he asks scandalised. “How dare you?! This calls for immediate punishment," he says and his fingers take no time to find her weak spots. In a matter of seconds she's pinned under him, breathless and giggling, begging for reprieve.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, you beg so sweetly Detective," he says and kisses her beauty mark. "And I do love your giggle. Your scrunched up face. Your smiling eyes." His fingers follow his words and his eyes are dark whirlpools she wants to dive in and never resurface. "I love you Chloe."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She kisses him with wild abandon, with a passion that only </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> can inspire in her heart. Her hands are glued to his skin, trying to satisfy this hunger that is mirrored in their eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In the end, he begs just as sweetly and she satisfies his every desire with unparalleled fervor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He burrows into her side, head over her breast and limbs tangled around her body, covering as much of her as he possibly can. Her fingers comb lazily through his dark curls and he sighs, relaxed and replete. He's almost asleep- she can tell by his deep, even breaths and the words tumble out of her lips uncensored, childlike and honest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Whatever happens in the future though, you don't have to worry. 'Cause I could never forget you Lucifer no matter where I am or how old and decrepit I get. Huh. Joke's on you I guess." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her words are followed by an exhausted snort giggle as she feels her eyes droop. She falls into Morpheus's arms with an ease that she hasn't experienced in a long time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She doesn't see the angel's wings unfold. But she feels them; a deep sense of peace comes over her, a bliss that she can feel down to her very bones, a siren's call to her soul-one she is unable to resist. She snuggles closer to him, her hands digging into feathers unknowingly and they both sigh happily in their sleep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Touching, always touching.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Taking care of his every need</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watches them through the glass window of Ella's lab as they talk. Ella, who just recently returned from her medical leave, is obviously distressed, her usual cheery attitude swallowed up by the horrifying events that took place during Chloe’s forced absence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Her eyes are red rimmed and her hands are pulling at the strings of her hoodie nervously. Lucifer listens to her, face serious and, to the untrained eye, calm. But Chloe can see the way his jaw is clenched, the way he stands ramrod straight in a place he feels extremely comfortable. She watches how ,when Ella breaks down-tears streaming down her face and body caving in, Lucifer pulls her into his embrace, no awkwardness, no hesitation or second thoughts. He keeps her there, whispering comforting words until Ella finally relaxes and wraps her arms around him, openly sobbing on his suit-snot and all. There is a momentary look of resigned exasperation but it dissipates quickly as he rubs comforting circles on her back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chloe wipes the moisture under her eyes gingerly, her body being flooded by two very opposing emotions. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her heart breaks for her dear friend and all that she went through, hating the fact that she wasn’t able to be there for her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>On the flip side though, her heart swells at the sight of Lucifer embracing, both literally and figuratively, his emotions.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He has changed so much from the man he used to be; one who refused to accept or acknowledge emotions, who shied away from any show of affection.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She understands why now. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How the hurt of such an absolute rejection skewed his perception of what love is. How it made him build almost impenetrable walls around him. How even when he loved so absolutely he found it impossibly hard to express his feelings.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He has received so little love in his terrifyingly long life that Chloe can't help but marvel at how wholesomely</span>
  <em>
    <span> good</span>
  </em>
  <span> he is. She could not be prouder of him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She wants to shout into the skies so that every single feathered member of his family can hear her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He is the kindest, the sweetest, the most caring among them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He is the best of them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And he deserves so much more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She wants to shower him with her love. To let her kisses fall onto his skin like raindrops until he's soaked to the bone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She wants to take care of him-she longs for it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s a different kind of hunger, not as base as the need to be close to him, but just as</span>
  <em>
    <span> raw</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>                                                          ---------------</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Pesky buggers," he grumbles as his hand reaches back and smoothes the perfectly ironed fabric of his shirt over his shoulder blade.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you okay babe?" she asks while pouring coffee in her thermos. Lucifer makes the best coffee. Even better than her beloved caramel monstrosity.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nothing to worry about Detective," he says with a slightly forced smile and puts on his jacket.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She narrows her eyes at his lovely back but remains silent.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Throughout the day she catches him grimacing and scratching at his shoulder blades.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She's not mad at him (maybe she is) - that would be childish. And Chloe cannot afford to be childish. She needs the maturity of two adults (an understatement) to handle this relationship. But she is annoyed and a little (a lot) hurt that he won't tell her what's bugging him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even after everything they've been through together, he still sabotages himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Linda is so right about him. It's freaky.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She takes a deep breath. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Patience is key.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(And if that doesn’t work, she excels at interrogation.)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their day at the precinct is mind numbingly boring, as Lucifer repeatedly states; full of phone calls that lead nowhere and an ever-growing pile of paperwork that needs to be done before she leaves for the day.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By four pm she has reached her quota of Devil whining and constant fidgeting so she literally begs him to go home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But Detective! It's Friday!" he complains, looking at her morosely with those beautiful, dark eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Believe me, I know. But I promise to finish as fast  as humanly possible. Please Lucifer, go and enjoy a few drinks without me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I'll never be able to finish this with you here. You're so distracting that I've made more mistakes in the last half hour than I've made the entire week."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Distracting how, Detective? Do tell," he waggles his eyebrows, a wide grin spreading on those very kissable lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a divine creature, he can be such a guy sometimes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"In every way baby. In </span>
  <em>
    <span>every</span>
  </em>
  <span> way. Now, off you go! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How about a goodbye kiss? This place is practically deserted."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She does check that no one is watching before she leans in for a kiss.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She is going for a chaste peck on the lips but Lucifer has other plans. His hand sinks into the hair at the base of her ponytail and pulls her closer, his tongue at once teasing the seam of her lips. When her lips part his tongue tangles with hers in a slow, sensual dance that stokes her ever-present desire. He pulls back first, looking slightly dazed but with a smirk firmly in place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't take too long Detective," he says with a wink and leaves her high and.... well, not exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>dry.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You bastard," she whispers, her eyes following him as he struts up the stairs. He laughs loud and happy, obviously having heard her, and gives her one last heated look before he disappears.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How is she supposed to concentrate after that?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> is the Devil.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time she wraps everything up it's after six. She spends the entire ride to Lux on the phone with Trixie, chatting about her friend's birthday party that is planned for tomorrow. Even if the endless chattering can be exhausting (like someone else close to her heart), Chloe is grateful that Trixie actually still cares about her mother's opinion and wants her in on her social life.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When she arrives she’s too exhausted for a proper make-over. So she fixes her makeup, however much she can at the rear view mirror, and shakes her hair out of its strict ponytail before walking to the elevator. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She expects him to be partying and drinking but Patrick immediately points his finger upwards so she returns to the elevator and rides up to the penthouse. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lucifer though is nowhere to be found, at least not at first glance. He's not sitting at his piano and he's not on the balcony or his bed. She's just about to head into the kitchen, hoping he’s there and more than ready for a snack, when she hears a loud crash coming from his bathroom. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She follows the noise.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The door is ajar.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Lucifer?" she calls softly, with a timid knock on the door, listening to his grumbles and mild cursing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Detective? I wasn't expecting you so soon," he says, voice a bit panicky. There’s a whooshing sound that she can’t quite place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"May I..?" she asks, pushing at the door slightly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course darling," he says, pulling it open all the way. He's in his silk boxers and there's a slight flush to his face, while his smile seems a bit forced. Again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Were you.." she trails off,  somehow feeling too awkward to utter the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>masturbating.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wanking off?" Lucifer provides easily. "Sadly no, my love." He leans down to kiss her. His lips are soft and moist and pretty much perfect but he's obviously preoccupied.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay, that's it. What's going on? You were acting weird this morning and now you're acting weird again. Did I... did I do something that-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What? Of course not darling. Please forgive me if I gave you such an impression." He collects her hands in his and brings them to his lips, kissing her knuckles tenderly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You know I'm here for you, right? Whatever is bothering you, I want to help."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stares into her eyes as if entranced.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"My wings," he blurts out. "It's my bloody wings."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Your wings?” she repeats, suddenly feeling like a fish out of water.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Detective really you needn’t. I’ll make do,” he says, obviously recognizing the hesitation in her voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no. I want to. It’s just… I have no idea how to help. I guess I’m… nervous?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nervous?” he asks, tasting the word. “Not jaded or weary or downright repulsed by all things celestial after all that has happened? Because that would be understandable and fair and justif-.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She stops the flow of words with her lips. It’s just a quick peck and when she pulls back he has that befuddled look on his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you. Your wings are part of you. And I love every part of you. Even the ones you are not so fond of. So, please let me care for you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He blinks a few times and clears his throat. She pulls his face back to hers and kisses him again, slow and sweet.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her soft, emotionally awkward man.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright then. Let’s get down to business, shall we?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s,” she says with a smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t you stand behind me Detective so I can…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh right. They’re big, aren’t they?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Everything about me is big. Surely you know that by now Detective,” he says looking at her through the mirror, a cheeky smile on his face. She rolls her eyes at him. His smile grows.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then without warning, his wings unfold before her, larger and far more brilliant than what she remembers. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She thinks of Amenadiel’s wings, dark and imposing and so much like him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She looks at Lucifer’s wings and all she can think of is just how very fitting his name is.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lightbringer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She takes a step closer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Closer than that dear. I don’t bite. Well, unless you want me to. And we both know you do. So, maybe I should revise that statement.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, just shut up. I told you I’m nervous. I have no idea what to do.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His face softens and he gives her that special smile he keeps for her only. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s nothing too complicated love. I can’t reach some feathers and I need you to align them with the rest because they are very troublesome. Don’t be afraid. You can do no wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought you didn’t lie,” she says with a smile as she moves closer, scanning the expanse of his left wing. Carefully she lets her hand skim the surface. It’s warm and incredibly soft and it </span>
  <em>
    <span>moves</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The feathers ripple under her touch, following her hand as it moves downwards.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I do not,” he replies quietly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She notices some feathers that are askew. She lays her hand carefully on top of that spot and asks him,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Like this spot here?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do I just pull them back in place? I won’t hurt you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You won’t. They’re sturdier than ordinary feathers detective. Don’t be afraid.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She steels herself and jumps at the opportunity.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sturdy enough to take bullets?” she asks, keeping her eyes firmly on his pearly feathers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” he says after a beat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I never got to thank you for that. I… hadn’t quite realized at that time. I should have. I’m… so sorry. And thank you for saving my life… again.” She looks at him then, eyes glassy with unshed tears, a sweet ache in her heart from being so full.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Chloe I… You are most welcome.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay then… Please let me know if I mess up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a deep breath she pulls the feather back towards its place, smoothing it from top to bottom among the others. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Was that okay?” He’s being awfully quiet. It's disconcerting .</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmmm. Yes.” He clears his throat. “No worries Detective. Carry on if you wish.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So she does. There are patches of misbehaving feathers scattered on his wingspan and with time her fingers grow more confident; they pull and straighten with greater ease and each time they dig a little deeper. There’s skin under all these feathers and it’s warm and kind of bumpy to the touch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And the whole thing is so strange. She tries not to think about how she’s actually preening the feathers of an angel. That’s still a bit too much. Even after dinner with God. But she does love the thought of taking care of him so she pushes her hands deeper, allows her touch to be firmer, lets her fingers linger.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And his feathers are… alive. They respond to her touch. They ripple and vibrate and she can feel their energy, a warmth that has flooded her entire being.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So even when there are no more misaligned feathers she keeps touching, running the feathers between her fingers, her thumb following softly the rachis of each feather and then letting her fingers sink in under the layers to feel his skin, warm and strange and</span>
  <em>
    <span> his</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She loves it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can feel your skin under all this plumage,” she says with a smile, her eyes returning to the mirror to find his. He’s staring intently at her, eyes dark and soulful.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know. I can feel you as well. Your every touch.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. Good, I hope?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good?” he repeats with distaste, as if finding the word offensive. “Chloe, it’s sublime.” He folds his wings close to his body and turns, pulling her to him, their bodies flush. And then his wings come around her, forming a second embrace, a cocoon of light and warmth and unmatched softness.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He kisses the pads of her fingers one by one, such a softness in his gaze that she feels tears pool in her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“A long, long time ago, when I was in the Silver City… angels… we were mostly glorified servants and as you may have noticed, quite unfamiliar with affection. Preening each other’s wings was the only way some of my siblings could express affection. I used to do Michael’s and he mine. And Azrael’s,” he sighs, his voice bearing a softness, a nostalgia that is as new as it is old. Her hands cradle his face lovingly, fingers scratching softly his stubble. “It's one of the few fond memories I have. Now... To have </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>want to  do this for me… I can think of no greater gift. No greater pleasure. Thank you Chloe,” he says, his smile small but more brilliant than the sun itself. She blinks back happy tears and offers him her warmest smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re so very welcome. Always tell me what you need. I want to care for you. I absolutely love it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He leans down to kiss her and she loses track of how long she stays wrapped in his arms as their tongues tangle and their teeth tag softly at full lips. Her fingers, unable to resist, sink into his feathers, ruffling and caressing them until Lucifer’s breath stutters and she can taste his rumbling moans on her tongue.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s as sweet as Heaven.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As sizzlingly hot as Hell.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s strange and sexy and sweet and just so entirely </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> that her lips curve into a smile as they kiss.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” he breathes into the space between them, mirroring her smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just you… Us… It’s just so...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Incredible?” he offers, kissing her beauty mark, those dark eyes the only heaven she cares for.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” she agrees with another smile and kisses his chest right over his heart, before laying her head there. Her hands caress his back, running over smooth skin and soft feathers while Lucifer hums happily.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’s warm and just about perfect and she presses her fingers more firmly against his skin, bringing herself closer to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She wants to stay in this moment forever-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>her very own slice of heaven.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She tucks it away safely in her heart, like a glass ball holding a precious moment, a feeling, a memory.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She gives it a shake in her mind's eye and soft feathers cascade around her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All she can smell is him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And all she can feel is his touch. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Title is from the poem 'touch' by Himangshu Singh .<br/>touch.<br/>because you can.<br/>touch.<br/>because you want to.<br/>touch.<br/>because it's the only rememberance you have.<br/>touch.<br/>because in another life you won't.<br/>touch.<br/>because in another time you wouldn't.<br/>touch.<br/>but don't touch this time.<br/>it's the touch that melts you down.<br/>mends your soul.<br/>so,<br/>touch.<br/>not her but him also.<br/>touch.<br/>but to make her safe not hound her.<br/>it's the touch,<br/>or the essence of touch<br/>that melts her down.<br/>it's the touch,<br/>and the essence of touch<br/>that brings her back.</p>
<p>touch.<br/>but don't touch.</p>
<p>so,<br/>touch.<br/>because it is the most sensual art<br/>that ever existed.</p>
<p>I think Lucifer would approve!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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